The Oxbridge ISoc Mentoring Scheme is a collaboration between the Oxford and Cambridge Islamic societies. It is a one-to-one mentoring scheme targeted at school pupils aged between 16 and 18 who are considering applying to Oxbridge.

What's in it for mentees?

Get advice from current Oxbridge students

By becoming a mentee, you’ll be matched with an Oxford or Cambridge student placing you only an email away from expert advice, experience and insight that cannot be found in a prospectus. Your mentor can advise you on suitable work experience/extra-curricular activities that will boost your application, review your personal statement, provide guidance for any tests and even give you a mock interview. All our mentors have successfully been through the Oxbridge application process so they’re well-placed to provide you with their insider knowledge!

Can my mentor give me a mock interview?

Yes, just opt in at sign up

The Mock Interviews are specifically for those who may have interviews coming up and want the extra practice from an Oxbridge student. Our students are trained to run an interview, can provide feedback on exactly how you did and suggest improvements for you to make. This is all about confidence building and familiarising you with the style of interviewing at Oxbridge colleges.

What happens after you've signed up?

We match you up

We will use the information that you’ve provided to match up the mentees with the most suitable mentor. Once we’ve successfully paired you, you can begin your mentor-mentee journey. How you choose to contact each other is entirely up to you.

We will do our best to match mentors and mentees as closely as possible. However, this is not always possible since it depends on your perfect mentor also signing up and being unmatched at the time. Therefore, it may be the case that you are matched with a mentor who is from a different college from the one you intend to apply for or even that the degree they study is not exactly the same. In the case that there is no suitable match, we will wait for more mentors to sign up. All our mentors will be DBS checked. Finally, all our mentors are taking time out of their busy schedules to volunteer for your benefit so please remain respectful and patient with them should any issues arise.

What's in it for mentors?

Help the next generation of ISoc members

Becoming a mentor enables you to use your own experiences to build the confidence and raise the aspirations of school pupils considering applying to Oxbridge, but who may not be equipped with the tools and resources required to achieve their full potential.

We’ll also help you get a DBS certificate at no cost to you.

Mock interviewing your mentee

You can opt in to offer these to your mentee at sign up

This is an additional opportunity which enables you to partake in mock interviews for school pupils who are interested in your subject. We all know how daunting it can be to get through an Oxbridge interview and here is your chance to put someone else in the hot seat.

What if I don't have the time?

It's completely up to you how much time you spend

We understand how busy everyone is and therefore this opportunity would be as much time as you’re willing to put in. You are not on your own though! We do provide full guidance and support to all our mentors and all we ask for in return is a minimum of one email a week or simply answering any queries your mentee has.

From previous experience, this tends to be a very low-commitment role but the benefits are abundant!

Cambridge University Islamic Society

iSoc is a vibrant and inclusive society which is based on friendship and strengthened by our beliefs. Remember, everyone is welcome , whether you're Muslim, interested in Islam or simply looking for a friendly face! Visit the About iSoc page to find out more.